MEDIA ADVISORY: Press call to address needed changes to NC’s unemployment system during COVID-19 pandemic

WHAT: Press call to address needed changes to NC’s unemployment system to meet challenges of COVID-19
WHEN: Wednesday, March 18, 9:00 a.m.
WHERE: Zoom meeting (https://zoom.us/meeting/register/vpwqcOqqrD4jyy1mnAari43n7uIGz6y0Dg)
WHO: National Employment Law Project, NC State AFL-CIO, UAW Local 3520, IATSE Local 322, and NC Justice Center

RALEIGH (March 17, 2020) – Workers’ rights advocates, experts, and affected individuals will hold a press call on Wednesday, March 18, to call for changes to North Carolina’s Unemployment Insurance (UI) system in order to meet the challenges facing workers as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak.

North Carolina’s UI program provides unemployment benefits to eligible workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own, and meet other eligibility requirements. Unemployment insurance is one of the most effective stabilizing policies in an economic downturn, as the country is currently experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately, at a time when workers need help the most, North Carolina’s system is serving too few jobless workers for too short a time and providing too little in financial assistance.

Speakers will address the effects North Carolina’s unemployment insurance system has on workers, local communities, and economies, and whether the system can handle the challenges of a recession.

Speakers include economist Patrick Conway; Michele Evermore, Senior Policy Analyst with the National Employment Law Project; Jon Greene of UAW Local 3520; MaryBe McMillan, President of NC AFL-CIO; and Jenni Propst, dispatcher for IATSE Local 322 in Charlotte, and Starr Markham, IATSE Local 417 in Raleigh, who will speak to how workers are directly affected by the cancelling of public events and the loss of income.

Register at this link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Julia Hawes, NC Justice Center, julia@ncjustice.org; Jeremy Sprinkle, NC State AFL-CIO, jeremy@aflcionc.org